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Irish archeology nears crisis point

THE unprecedented boom in property development and road building has unearthed thousands of archeological artefacts but most of them lie gathering dust in warehouses, hidden from public view.

With nearly 200 times more excavations being carried out than in the early 1990s, new discoveries are no longer being reported and Ireland’s museums no longer have space to house them. As a result, academics claim the country is being denied an opportunity to learn more about its history.

A report prepared by University College Dublin (UCD) and the Heritage Council says an unprecedented amount of new information about Ireland’s ancient cultures remains unpublished because of “systemic failures” and pressure from developers to get archeology “out of the way for the next development”.

Archaeology 2020 says the treasure trove of knowledge and artefacts that should have accompanied the increase in excavations is not reaching the public domain.